How about running shorter distance events after a marathon?

One of the concerns of marathoners who wish to compete at lesser distances is that they will lose endurance through less mileage. They definitely will if the volume reduction is not replaced by running at increased speeds over shorter distances. These speeds are 10k pace, 5k pace and 3k speed. Many marathoners have never raced these distances and will be at a loss to know what speed to train at. A sound method of estimating these speeds is to use the ten second rule working down from one’s marathon time. Simply increase the speed of running by ten seconds a mile as the race distance declines.

Here is a table for a 3:03:24 marathoner (seven minutes/mile)
Estimated time / mile pace

These estimations can be toughened up or extended to suit personal needs. The next stop is to work out the approximate 400 metre times for track work.

The above example will be:

If you’re not too keen on track running, you can use a heart monitor with equal effect:

• Half marathon pace will be 75% of maximum heart rate (MHR)
  
• 10k pace at 90% MHR
  
• 5k pace at 95% MHR
  
• 3k pace at 100% MHR

For the half marathon pace, the duration of effort will be for 10 minutes; for the 10k pace it will be for eight minutes; 5k will be six minutes, and 3k will be four minutes.

After each effort, jog until the heart beat rate returns to 120 beats a minute. Build up from two efforts to at least four.

If you have never run a ten mile race you can estimate your potential at the distance with the following formula:

1. Divide your marathon time by three
2. Add five minutes to the calculation in 1

For example if your best marathon time is four hours, your ten mile potential will be 85 minutes; if three hours, it will be 65 minutes, and for two and a half hours it will be 55 minutes.

Note that the fastest-ever British marathoner, Steve Jones, with a time of 2:07:13, had a best of 46:49 for ten miles. Using the formula stated, this works out at 42 minutes plus five minutes; a total of 47 minutes!

Relative speed work for the marathoner not accustomed to it should be tackled cautiously, with one session a week at the target race speed for a month; if the goal is 60 minutes for ten miles, start with either five miles in 30 minutes or six times one mile on a track or measured course with a 45 second rest, at race speed. Other sessions the same week can be 20 miles, 15 miles, and 13 miles.

In the second month, two speed sessions a week can be done, one as stated and one faster at 10k pace. The maximum number of speed sessions in a week should not exceed three.

At first, the recovery times after repetitions, where applicable, should be jogging half the distance of the repetition at the rate of 45 seconds per 100m. This should progress to jogging a quarter distance and even an eighth distance of the repetition if times are achieved. This particularly applies to 5k and 10k pace workouts. We do not have time in these races to stop for a cup of tea and a bun! It’s one relentless mile after another. We have to train for this. Good luck in your quest to conquer the shorter distances.

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